The electronic data transmission industry, for example, those involved with computer manufacture and telephone equipment manufacture have a particular need for a quick-connect and quick disconnect reliable, repetitive and reproducible electrical mating of a multiplicity of closely adjacent contact areas on printed circuit boards (or printed wiring boards) to multiple, insulated, conductor cable which is flexible but initially flat. Such multiple-conductor cable may have the insulated conductors thereof individually bonded to each other as exemplified by Lang, U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,896, or the individual conductors may be laminated between plastic sheets, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,092 to achieve insulation of the individual conductors. Many other industries have similar requirements.
This invention provides a connector unit and combined connector unit and harness assembly which fills the foregoing stated requirements in a simplified and economical manner.